Freebie Fridays: Model Metalworks

Gotcha! I may be a day late, but I couldn’t help myself! To make up for that lame trick, we’re giving you the chance to win an awesome freebie this week!

Model Metalworks is a husband-and-wife team with a passion for handmade pieces of art and for supporting traditional artisan communities. They work with 23 families who weave pine-needle baskets that represent their cultures.

Model Metalworks has partnered with us to give you the chance to win a handmade pine-needle tray with handles. For a chance to win, answer this week’s question before 12/11c, Monday, April 5. Be sure to provide a valid email address so we can contact you if you win.

This week we want to know: How do you support your local community when it comes to design? Do you refuse to shop at chain furniture stores and visit smaller, local showrooms instead? Do you support the artists and designers in your town? You have until 12/11c on Monday to answer. Click for official rules.

Being married to an artist and together we raised our daughter, an artist, we do support local artists as much as possible. I prefer to shop at the mom-and-pop stores in my community when we can. We try to always use local labor too We purchased a fixer-upper home many many years ago. We have re-done practically every aspect of our property from the outside surfaces (roof, plaster, new windows and landscaping) to the inside (all surfaces indoors have been replaced; drywall, paint, doors, etc). Everything with one exception. Our master suite remains original. It needs work. It was our next project but the economy dictated our having to wait even longer for that remodel.

I like to support local and non corporate artisans by buying from small shops, antique shops, galleries, thrift stores, shops that feature artisans from third world countries, craft markets or directly from the artist.

We bought our bedroom funiture from a local Mom and Pop shop in town. And bought our sons bunk beds from a neighbor. We keep in limited to small in town businesses if we can because they are being forced out by bigger retail stores. We also Have a local trash pickup with just a husband and wife team with a pickup and a trailer behind. We use them as our business.

I just discovered a gallery that sells original oils, watercolours, and acrylics by local artists near a park I often visit. I found 2 artists whose work I just love. I am saving up to purchase an acrylic on canvas.